إِذاif ماemphatic particle الشَيبُgray hair جارَencroaches عَلىupon الشَبابِyouth
إِذا ما الشَيبُ جارَ عَلى الشَبابِ
فَعاجِلهُthen attack it swiftly وَغالِطand cheat فيin الحِسابِthe reckoning
فَعاجِلهُ وَغالِط في الحِسابِ
If gray hair encroaches upon youth,
When grey hairs impose on youthful locks
then attack it at once and cheat in the reckoning.
Hurry and make mistakes in your counts
وَقُلand say لاno مَرحَباًwelcome بِكَto you مِنas نَزيلٍa guest
وَقُل لا مَرحَباً بِكَ مِن نَزيلٍ
وَعَذِّبهُand torment it بِأَنواعِwith kinds of العَذابِtorment
وَعَذِّبهُ بِأَنواعِ العَذابِ
And say, 'No welcome to you as a guest!'
And say, no welcome to you, my guest
And torment it with various kinds of torture:
And torment him with all kinds of torments
بِنَتفٍby plucking أَوor بِقَصّby clipping كُلّevery يَومٍday
بِنَتفٍ أَو بِقَصّ كُلّ يَومٍ
وَأَحياناًand sometimes بِمَكروهِwith the unpleasantness of الخِضابِdyeing
وَأَحياناً بِمَكروهِ الخِضابِ
by plucking or clipping every day,
With plucking or cutting each day
and sometimes with the unpleasantness of dyeing.
And sometimes with hated dye
فَإِنbut if هُوَit لَمdoes not يحرretreat وَأَتىand has come لِوَقتٍin due time
فَإِن هُوَ لَم يحر وَأَتى لِوَقتٍ
فَقُلthen say فيin رُحبِthe spaciousness of دارٍa home وَاِقتِرابِand closeness
فَقُل في رُحبِ دارٍ وَاِقتِرابِ
But if it does not retreat and has come in due time,
If he does not yield and comes in due time
then say, 'You are welcome to a spacious home and close company.'
Say in the expanse of a house and proximity
وَلاand do not تَعرِضdeal لَهُwith it إِلّاexcept بِخَيرٍwith kindness
وَلا تَعرِض لَهُ إِلّا بِخَيرٍ
وَإِنand even if عَدّىassails عَلىupon شَرخِthe prime of الشَبابِyouth
وَإِن عَدّى عَلى شَرخِ الشَبابِ
And treat it with nothing but kindness,
And do not expose him except with goodness
even if it assails the prime of youth.
Even if he transcends the rift of youth
وَخُذand take لِلشَيبِfor gray hair أُهبَتَهُits preparations وَبادِرand hasten
وَخُذ لِلشَيبِ أُهبَتَهُ وَبادِر
وَخَلِّand let loose عِنانَthe rein of رَحلِكَyour saddle لِلذهابِfor departure
وَخَلِّ عِنانَ رَحلِكَ لِلذهابِ
And make due preparation for gray hair, and hasten,
Take the grey hairs their bundles and race ahead
and give your mount free rein to depart.
And release the reins of your mount to depart
فَقَدfor indeed جَدَّhas grown urgent الرَحيلُdeparture وَأَنتَand you مِمَّنamong those who
فَقَد جَدَّ الرَحيلُ وَأَنتَ مِمَّن
يَسيرُtravel عَلىat مُقَدِّمَةِthe head of الرِكابِthe riding camels
يَسيرُ عَلى مُقَدِّمَةِ الرِكابِ
For departure has grown urgent, and you are among those
The caravan has indeed moved on while you
who travel at the head of the camel caravan.
Walk at the forefront of the riders
Sol 6.1